Railroad track-motor.



E. W. HOOVER GL J. A. COLEMAN.

RAILROAD TRACK MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 24, 1912.

1 75,420, Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

2 SHEET SSHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,WASHINGTON, n. c.

B. W. HOOVER & J. A. COLEMAN. RAILROAD TRACK MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED DOT. 24, 1912.

1,675,420. Patented Oct.14,1913.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50.,WASMINOTON, n. c.

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EDGAR W. HOOVER AND JOHN A. COLEMAN, 0F DANVILLE, KENTUCKY.

RAILROAD TRACK-MOTOR.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Tiatented 0st. 1 1913.

Application filed Getober 24, 1912. Serial No. 727,599.

To all whom it may 001mm Be it known that we, EDGAR W. HOOVER and JOHN A. COLEMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Danville, in the county of Boyle and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad Track-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a track motor designed to be operated by the passage of a train of cars.

It is well known that an enormous pressure is exerted upon a track by the weight of the engines and cars passing over the track. This pressure so far as we are aware has never been utilized for any practical purpose other than, the operation of signal devices and the setting of switches.

The object of our invention is to employ such pressure for the purpose of actually actuating a pump or other machinery, thereby effecting a considerable saving in power and performing automatically work which is now done by pumping engines in charge of an engineer.

It is a common practice upon some railroads to locate water tanks adjacent a small stream and to employ a pump and engine for the purpose of keeping said tanks filled. By means of our invention the passage of trains along the road can be made to automatically operate such a pump, thereby automatically pumping a certain amount of water into the tank each time the train passes the same and the power obtained from the invention of course can also be applied to the performance of other work than that of pumping water if desired but the use of the invention in connection with water tanks will illustrate one of its advantages.

The invention consists of the novel features of construction hereinafter described, pointed out in the claim and shown in the drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, parts being in section, the various parts being shown in normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar View parts being shown in the position occupied when a track plate is depressed by the flange of a wheel. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 41 is a section on the line 1-4 of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of. Fig. 1.

In these drawings, 1 represents the track rails supported upon the usual ties 2. A

suitable plate 3 is supported by two of the ties and carries depending lugs 1, which eX- tend downwardly between the ties and between said lugs is pivoted a rocking lever 5, the inner end of which extends beneath the rail. Loosely connected to said inner end is an upright bar 6, which carries at its upper end a plate 7 adapted to be engaged by the flanges of the car wheels. This bar is held in normal position by a suitable spring 8 which bears upon its lower end. In a suitable bearing 9 is pivoted a bell crank 10, the short arm of which is pivotally connected to the lever 5 by means of a link 11. In suitable bearings 12, one of which is shown, is slidably mounted a rod 13 provided with a cushion spring 14: adapted to be engaged by a nut 15 which forms a head for the rod. Upwardly eX- tending lugs 16 are carried by the rod and between said lugs is pivoted one end of a rod 17, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the long arm of the bell crank. A pawl 17 is also pivoted to the rod 13, be-= ing held in normal position by springs 18. A ratchet 19 is fixed upon a suitable shaft 20, which also carries a fly wheel 21, and power may be taken from said shaft by means of a pulley 22, or by means of any other mechanical equivalent.

rt ormally the parts will remain in the position shown in Fig. 1 but upon the passage of a train each wheel traveling upon the rail adjacent to the plate 7 will engage said plate and will force the same into the position shown in Fig.2, thereby through the levers and links above described reciprocating the rod 13 and bringing the pawl into engagement with the ratchet thereby imparting a certain rotation to the shaft 20. As each car would have from four to $121 wheels adapted to engage said plate 7 and as a large number of cars might constitute one train it will be readily understood that the rod 13 will be reciprocated a large number of times during the passage of a single train. Furthermore if the device is used in connection with a water tank many trains would pass said tank without stopping, so that there would be during each twenty four hours a considerable accumulation of water in the tank.

The device is of course especially adapted for roads having a heavy trafiic and running a very large number of trains. The inven tion can also be employed for the purpose of compressing air, the compressed air to be I to move the rod in the other direction, and

employed for any purpose desired, such as the operation of switches or signals.

WVha-t we claim is z- 5 A device of the kind described comprising a power shaft, a ratchet arranged thereupon, a reciprocating rod, a pawl pivotally carried by said rod and adapted to operatively engage said ratchet upon movement 10 of the rod in one direction, a spring adapted means operated by the passage of car wheels for movingthe rod in the direction in which the pawl operatively engages the ratchet wheel.

EDGAR W. HOOVER. JOHN A. COLEMAN. Witnesses:

WHEELER C. VAN PELT, EDWARD M. RUE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

